A motorcycle policeman hits a demonstrator during a protest in Athens. Scores of youths hurled rocks and petrol bombs at riot police after clashes broke out Wednesday during a mass rally taking place as part of a general strike. Young demonstrators hurled rocks and fire bombs at riot police as clashes broke out Wednesday in Athens during a mass rally against austerity measures, part of a general strike that crippled services and public transportation around the country.

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A motorcycle policeman hits a demonstrator during a protest in Athens.

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A motorcycle policeman hits a demonstrator with his bike as another protestor tries to hit him with a stone during a protest in Athens.

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A motorcycle policeman burns as his colleague tries to help him after protesters throw a Molotov cocktail at him in Athens. Police fired tear gas and flash grenades at protesters, blanketing parts of the city center in choking smoke. Thousands of peaceful demonstrators ran to side streets to take cover. A police officer was attacked and his uniform caught fire in the city's main Syntagma Square, and his motorcycle was burned.

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A motorcycle policeman burns as his colleague, not seen, tries to help him. At least two people were injured and another three arrested. One group of rioting youths smashed paving stones in front of the central Bank of Greece, but there were no immediate reports of any serious damage.

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A policeman is seen in flames as he tries to escape. More than 30,000 protesters attended the Athens rally, which had been calm before the clashes. Protesters chanting "Don't obey the rich — Fight back!" marched to parliament as the city center was heavily policed. A brass band, tractors and cyclists joined the rally.

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A policeman is seen in flames as he tries to escape. The rally was part of Greece's first major labor protest this year as Prime Minister George Papandreou's Socialist government faces international pressure to make more lasting cuts after the nation's debt-crippled economy was rescued from bankruptcy by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

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A policeman is seen in flames as he tries to escape after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at him during riots in front of the parliament in Athens. The 24-hour strike halted trains, ferries and most public transport across the country, and led to the cancellation of more than 100 flights at Athens International Airport. The strike also the closed the Acropolis and other major tourist sites.

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A motorcycle policeman tries to remove his helmet as he burns. State hospital doctors, ambulance drivers, pharmacists, lawyers and tax collectors joined school teachers, journalists and thousands of small businesses as more middle-class groups took part in the protest than have in the past. Athens' main shopping district was mostly empty, as many small business owners shuttered their stores.

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A policeman is in flames. Unions are angry at the ongoing austerity measures put in place by the Socialist government in exchange for a €110 billion ($150 billion) bailout loan package from European countries and the IMF.

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A policeman engulfed in flames is helped by another policeman after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at him. Stathis Anestis, deputy leader of Greece's largest union, the GSEE, said workers should not be asked to make more sacrifices during a third straight year of recession. "The measures forced on us by the agreement with our lenders are harsh and unfair. ... We are facing long-term austerity with high unemployment and destabilizing our social structure," Anestis told The Associated Press. "What is increasing is the level of anger and desperation ... If these harsh policies continue, so will we."

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A policeman on fire is helped by a colleague. Elsewhere, about 15,000 people rallied and minor scuffles broke out in Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki, while Anestis said around 60 demonstrations were being planned in cities and towns across Greece. He said the GSEE was in talks with European labor unions to try and coordinate future strikes with other EU countries.

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A motorcycle policeman burns as his colleague, right, tries to help him. Earlier this month, international debt monitors said Greece needed a "significant acceleration" of long-term reforms to avoid missing its economic targets. It also urged the Socialist government to embark on a €50 billion ($68 billion) privatization program to pay for some of its mounting national debt that is set to exceed 150 percent of the GDP this year.

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A motorcycle policeman burns as his colleague, not seen, tries to help him. The IMF has said some of the frequent demonstrations against the Greek government's reforms were being carried out by groups angry at losing their "unfair advantages and privileges."

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A policeman tries to escape from flames after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at him.

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A fire burns in a road as people look on during riots in front of the parliament in Athens.

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Policemen advance as a police motorcycle is seen in flames during riots in front of the parliament in Athens.

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Policemen try to escape from flames after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at them.

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A photographer is seen in flames as he tries to escape after he caught fire from a Molotov cocktail during riots in front of the parliament in Athens.

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A riot police officer fights with a demonstrator .

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A protester hits a riot police officer with a stick during clashes in central Athens.

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A Molotov cocktail burns as Greek riot policemen clash with protesters in Athens.

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A bystander takes cover in front of riot police during clashes in Athens.

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Protesters run to escape tear gas during riots in front of the parliament building in Athens.